


A Message for Kathryn

by RicePips



Category: Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: Episode: s05e06 Timeless, F/M, Friendship, How It Should Have Gone, Hurt/Comfort, Missing Scene, Replicators, The replicator even ships J/C, The replicator hates Janeway, Tuvok is legendary, Tuvok talks sex, episode add on, message from the past
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-27
Updated: 2019-10-27
Packaged: 2021-01-04 19:23:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,964
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21202790
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RicePips/pseuds/RicePips
Summary: After the timeline is reset, Harry Kim isn't the only one to receive a message from the future.On the night they cheat death and the timeline is reset, Kathryn endures an evening of hard-to-hear messages and a conversation with her old friend that can only be described as 'mortifying'.How Timeless should have panned out.....





	A Message for Kathryn

**Author's Note:**

> Hello!
> 
> Me again! Timeless is one of my favourite episodes of all time and as a result, I love fan fiction based around that episode.
> 
> Here's my little offering all based around the idea that Tessa might just have wanted to make a lasting impression and not waste the last 15 years of her life.
> 
> All mistakes are completely my own (sorry for that!) and I do not own these characters.
> 
> There is some swearing, so you have been warned!
> 
> I hope you enjoy x

** A message for Kathryn **

It was late when Kathryn finally arrived home to her quarters, exhausted both emotionally and physically. It had been one hell of a day, a day filled with excitement, despair and a bucket load of gratitude.

If the future hadn't intervened, she would be dead right now. Along with every other member of her crew. 

Well, all except two.

The thought was sobering and as she absentmindedly cast aside the pips from her collar onto the nearest surface, she finally allowed herself to feel the tension headache that had gnawed away constantly since the failed (or was it successful?) slipstream drive of that morning.

She glanced at the chronometer; 22:30. Had it really only been this morning since they’d started out on a day filled with the hopes of being home in the Alpha Quadrant by evening? It felt like a lifetime. Or a good 15 years at least.

Her mind, always working, tonight felt strangely empty. Numb. The day had affected everyone, more than anyone truly cared to admit. It was times like this that she wished they had a councillor with them; she was sure that quite a few people onboard needed to talk tonight, or would do in the coming days as reality kicked in. 

She sighed as she thought about how the rest of the day following the failed mission had panned out. The mood on the corridors had been subdued, yet grateful. The realisation that they had cheated death so spectacularly was not lost on any of them.

But had they really cheated it? More like they'd been given a second shot. A timeline re-written. 15 years wiped away just like that.

It was all a lot to take in.

Unsure of what to do with herself, she paced the room, rolling her head from side to side. Usually when she felt this way, she'd seek out Chakotay or Tuvok, but she wasn't sure she was up to Tuvok's logic tonight and as for Chakotay.... She sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose.

With the emotions of today, she wasn't sure that was such a good idea. The previous night over dinner they had come close, closer than they'd ever come before to crossing that ever-blurred line that lingered between them. Last night she hadn't worried about it, she’d flirted with him and more, showing him plainly how she felt about him, and what she wanted to explore once they arrived home. And that was the plan. The plan had always been to be home now, but that hadn't happened. And where did that leave them now? Back on different sides of a seriously blurry line. 

She paced the room some more, lost amidst memories of candlelight and yearning. Her eyes lingered on the sofa, memories of wine, soft flirty laughter, promises and kisses and felt her heart sink sadly. All of that was now lost to the previous evening, a distant memory not set to be repeated anytime soon. Not in the Delta Quadrant anyway.

She pressed a hand to her forehead, her other hand on her hip and she groaned softly, starting up her pacing once more. It was as she passed her computer, she noticed the little red light blinking back at her, the sign of an unread message.

She sighed. In the drama of the day, she'd had no chance to check messages, there were probably hundreds from team leaders updating her on the status of each department, reports from senior staff that would need reading and responding to.

‘A captain’s job is never done,’ she thought ruefully.

Without sitting, she nudged the screen and watched it flash to life. Sat waiting for her was a message entitled; “**A message for Kathryn.**”

She frowned and slowly sat down, the message was unusual, no sender ID and it appeared not to have arrived via official ship channels.

Her hand hovered hesitantly before clicking on the message. Her screen went black and then a video appeared. She frowned slightly as the playback began. The image of what appeared to be the _Delta Flyer_ came flickering to life, though it looked rather worse for wear. Conduits hung from the ceiling, smoke lingered within the air in what appeared to be a permanent haze and everything about the interior of the little vessel seemed tired, worn, abused.

She tilted her head, expecting the image of Harry or Chakotay or even Tom Paris to appear, but as the figure came into view and sat down, Kathryn felt her confusion step up a gear. Dressed in what appeared to be a deep red tunic was a young, dark haired woman, maybe early to mid-thirties, she looked tired and pale. Kathryn could say for absolute certain that she had never seen this woman before in her life.

"This is a message for Captain Kathryn Janeway," the woman said, her voice betraying her tiredness, though there was still a steely edge to her tone. "If you're watching this, Captain, then it means our plan has succeeded and the last 15 years have been erased.”

The young woman paused at that point and appeared to swallow hard. She looked away and seemed to listen carefully to something that couldn’t be heard through playback.

The woman looked back at the screen and tilted her head slightly, her face pinched into a hard expression.

“You'll be safe on _Voyager_ and 150 people will still be alive and I will be back in college and won't remember any of it,” she gave a weak smile, “Quite a day, wouldn't you say? An entire timeline of memories, feelings, actions all gone in the blink of an eye. Something to celebrate I'd say,” she heaved a deep sigh and looked down at her hands, before lifting her eyes to meet Kathryn’s through the screen and 15 years.

“Shame I won't recall any of it,” she offered. “So this message is to make sure you don't forget, to make sure you realise and understand and damn it, appreciate just what lengths have been taken to ensure that you're no longer a frozen corpse on a broken bridge buried beneath the ice of some godforsaken planet.”

A silence followed that exclamation with the younger woman looking away once more, her eyes clearly glistening even in the low light of the Delta Flyer. Kathryn sat back in her seat and swallowed hard, unsure of what to make of this message and the seemingly bitter young woman who had felt the need to send it. Her last words lingered, ‘_a frozen corpse on a broken bridge_', was that really the fate they had all met in the erased timeline?

“You must be quite something,” the young woman’s voice brought her back to the present. Her tone had changed somewhat, softer with a hint of something that Kathryn was unsure she wanted to name. “I know you are. I've grown up with the mystery of _Voyager_ and its famed and honoured captain. I’ve grown up idolising you and your crew, reading everything about you that’s ever existed. But that's just what the media tells me. It’s what Chakotay says, or doesn't say to be exact, that tells the greatest tale of you.”

Kathryn narrowed her eyes at that, so this woman knows…knew Chakotay? Just what exactly was this?

“Sure, Harry speaks of nothing but how damned awesome you are,” the woman continued, offering a bitter little chuckle. “Proper little hero worship going on there. Killing you, killed him, I hope you realise that,” she stared hard into the screen. “And Chakotay....,” she paused then and looked away. “Though in a different way, I guess,” she murmured more to herself than Kathryn.

There was a noise in the background of the video and she looked over her shoulder, listening carefully before turning back to the screen, her expression more urgent.

“Look, I don't have much time,” she began. “I could bore you with my own thoughts and opinions, but the real reason I'm here, doing this, is for Chakotay. Like I said, I hope you appreciate just what's about to happen. A second chance and God knows, Captain, we don’t get many of those, do we?”

The woman tilted her head, “He loves you. You know that right?” her eyes widened suddenly and she almost cringed. “Shit, I hope you do, if not.... Well, you do now,” she shrugged and smirked. Her eyes narrowed slightly, “I can't believe you don't know it,” she shook her head. “I assume you're choosing to ignore it? Or play him? String him along with your candlelight dinners and flirty looks. Hell, I don't know what makes a woman do the things she does. All I know is that he's a great guy. The best,” she smiled sadly and looked at her hands. “I wish he loved me the way he loves you. But,” she looked up again and smiled sadly, “I could never compete. And why should I? I do have some dignity. Just,” she rolled her eyes.

“So, whatever weird code, or moral is holding you back, let it go,” she leaned closer to the camera. “If this hasn't taught you one thing, it's life is too short. And there's not always going to be a reset button. Remember that. He's worked for 15 years to get you back. To get back to you. Sure, he cares about the crew, he talks of them all the time with Harry, but he never talks of you, not anymore anyway. But that's because losing you destroyed him,” she frowned sadly.

“He still keeps your picture with him,” the woman smiled. “Some picture taken at the festival of Prixin,” she sat back in her seat. “I’ve heard so much about all the fun nights on _Voyager_, I almost feel that I was there myself.”

There was another noise in the background, louder this time.

“I've got to go,” the woman said, her expression becoming more hurried and urgent. “Don't waste this, Kathryn. Don't waste this opportunity. Don't be the frozen, cold as ice woman I saw on the bridge today. Just.... live?”

She looked away and the screen went blank.

Kathryn stared hard at the screen, her heart pounding, stomach twisting. What the hell just happened? Who was that woman and how dare she make assumptions like that?

She stood up and began to pace agitatedly, a thousand thoughts rushing through her mind and all of them unhelpful. The woman’s words began to replay back through her mind, whirling and rushing into one mass of confusion.

Was the woman right? Was Chakotay really in love with her? She'd barely allowed that thought to develop when another, harsher thought assaulted her, "_You know he is and has been for some time._"

Hard to escape your own thoughts, Kathryn allowed that one to settle before her mind unhelpfully pondered, "_Aren't you in love with him too?_"

She couldn't deny her feelings for her First Officer, they'd been born and honed over years of stress and his quiet, steady devotion. Handsome and caring to a fault, Kathryn had fallen for him hard, but the Captain was resolute. Nothing can happen whilst you're in command together.

The words of the woman entered her mind "_String him along with your candlelight dinners and flirty looks_."

She bristled at that thought. She had never played games with any man, let alone Chakotay. Her mind, if possible, laughed at her indignation. Thoughts of the flirty dinners, the candlelight, the touches to the arm and chest flowed breezily through her mind. New Earth, Lake George, her own quarters.... She looked over at the dining table where just last night they had dined and she had offered him dessert. And how he'd laughed and the mood had shifted to something more intense. Her eyes drifted to the sofa where they had let the lines of friendship and command slide seamlessly away with whispered promises of exploring things further once their feet were on Earth.

How many times had she offered up those titbits? How many times had she openly flirted and languished in his obvious devotion? And damn, she loved it, loved the thought of his devotion to her. Would she ever want that devotion, that love to wane? So, was she playing games and stringing him along? She’d already decided that after today’s disappointment she would push him back across that line she’d always drawn, if that wasn’t playing games, then what was? She crossly huffed at her own thoughts.

She looked towards the viewport and stared sadly at the blurred stars of the Delta Quadrant. Ten years had been shaved of their journey, closer but nowhere near close enough. Promises made last night were now no longer valid, could no longer be valid.

"So, mess with him again," she said into the emptiness of her quarters. 

The woman's words ran through her mind. She groaned and covered her face with her hands; she didn't have the head space for this tonight.

She needed coffee.

She stalked towards her replicator, "Coffee, black," she ordered.

The replicator beeped and chirruped, lights flashing merrily and her cup began to form before the replicator made an unhappy noise and the cup vanished whilst the coffee appeared and splattered all over the serving tray.

Janeway cursed angrily, rolling her eyes skyward. Damned machine. "You really hate me, don't you?" she hissed as she mopped up the mess with a cloth. The replicator chirruped happily and she could swear it was chuckling.

She was just depositing the cloth into the recycler when her door chimed. She looked at the door as her stomach flipped over, her heart pounding, would it be him?

“Come," she called, holding her breath as the doors swished open to reveal Tuvok. She exhaled heavily in relief and smiled warmly, "Oh, Tuvok!"

"Good evening, Captain, I apologise for the lateness of the hour," Tuvok greeted, stepping into the room, the doors swishing closed behind him. He stopped just inside the door and clasped his hands behind his back, face passive as always.

"Not at all, old friend," Kathryn waved a dismissive hand and gestured for him to move further into the room. "This is a pleasant surprise."

Tuvok moved closer and Kathryn began to doubt the reason behind his visit.  "Is everything alright?" she asked, her face contorting into a frown. "The crew?"

"As of 22:00 hours, all is well," Tuvok reassured her. "Gamma shift have taken over and Mr Ayala has everything under control. The majority of the crew are in the mess hall, enjoying a drink together."

Kathryn smiled softly, "That's good," she nodded. "And Harry?" She couldn’t shake off the look on the young Ensign’s face as he processed his own message from the alternative timeline. She knew exactly how he felt.

Tuvok lifted an eyebrow, "Mr Kim is with Mr Paris and Ms Torres, I believe they are 'rallying his spirits’,” he explained.

Kathryn chuckled, "As they should be!" she said. "So, if all is well, what can I do for you old friend?"

If it was possible, Tuvok looked uncomfortable suddenly. "As your old friend, I felt it my duty to come and ensure that you are well."

Kathryn smiled warmly, she patted his arm softly, "Well, that's lovely Tuvok, but no need to worry, I'm quite fine, even if today has been rather challenging."

"Indeed,” Tuvok raised an eyebrow.

"Drink?" Kathryn offered with a final pat to his arm.

"A peppermint tea would be most agreeable,” Tuvok replied.

“Well, I can’t promise; my replicator is playing up tonight,” Kathryn commented as she moved across the room to her replicator unit. She placed her order and waited. The replicator whirred merrily and the cups appeared. "You bitch," Kathryn muttered under her breath and the replicator lights blinked cheerfully.

She gestured towards the seating area and handed Tuvok his tea. Sitting down, she sipped at her coffee.

"Caffeine at this time is inadvisable," Tuvok commented with a raised eyebrow.

"Maybe, but I doubt I'll be getting much sleep tonight, so this will keep me company,” Kathryn answered wryly.

"You are upset by today's mission?" Tuvok noted. 

"We are not home are we?"

"We are not in the Alpha Quadrant, no. However, we are all alive. That would make this a success,” Tuvok answered logically.

Kathryn sighed, "I so wanted us to be home, Tuvok,” she said, her voice barely more than a whisper. “It's been too long."

"Such a curious concept," Tuvok said, eyebrows knitting together. "Home. Humans take something and make it into an abstract thing. You long to be home, you feel at home, home is where the heart is, there’s no place like home, all sayings used to explore how one is feeling and yet often they cause them more pain than good."

"Don’t you yearn to be home? With your wife and children?" Kathryn queried curiously.

"I would very much like to see them again, however, to say that I yearn would be the incorrect verb. Home is a place that you are safe. And right now, that place is _Voyager_," Tuvok explained.

"Hardly safe," Kathryn muttered, though the words lingered. Did she not also refer to the ship as home? 

“I am secure in my knowledge that the bond between my family and I is as strong as it has ever been. No distance could ever change that,” Tuvok continued. “And if it should ever turn out that I am not as safe as I believed myself to be, it still would not sever that connection with those of whom I share blood and bond.”

Kathryn smiled weakly and looked away towards her viewport. 

“I am also aware that as a Vulcan, I benefit from a certain view on life that differs most greatly to that of a human,” he added. “Whereas a Vulcan can live without the physical closeness of loved ones quite comfortably, I understand that it is not so easy for humans who require frequent physical contact to help regulate their emotions.”

Kathryn gave him an amused look, “I feel that does us a disservice, Tuvok,” she commented wryly.

“Maybe, but it is true,” Tuvok said. “Humans require a close physical and emotional bond in order to feel safe and secure.”

“I am sure, and I think I speak for all humans on this ship, that we are secure in our knowledge that our families back home love us,” Kathryn said.

“But for many of you, you still lack the physical, an aspect that you need,” Tuvok said.

Kathryn felt her eyes widen in surprise and she frowned, her mouth twitching in amused shock, “Tuvok, are you talking about sex?”

Tuvok looked uncomfortable, “Not exactly, Captain,” he said, eyebrows so tightly knitted together it was hard to determine where one ended and the other began. “And, also, yes.”

“Tuvok!” Kathryn chuckled, laughter bubbling in her throat.

“Forgive me, but I feel it impertinent that I voice the things that I have seen,” Tuvok began.

Kathryn held up her hand, “Whoa, I really do not wish to know about the sex life of my crew!”

“You misunderstand,” Tuvok answered. “I am not here to talk about the crew. I’m here to talk about you.”

Kathryn’s eyes widened in shock and she stood up abruptly and began to pace, “This is most inappropriate….”

“Captain, you are not the only human on board this ship and yet you try to act like the least human person there is,” Tuvok began.

“Tuvok, that’s nonsense, and if we hadn’t known each other for years, I would be severely reprimanding you for this breach of propriety!” Kathryn exclaimed, her voice filled with warning.

“And yet, I am determined to say what I have to say,” Tuvok nodded. “You are a fine Captain, I would not wish to serve under any other, you are compassionate and caring…..”

“Really?” Kathryn huffed. “It seemed a moment ago, you were suggesting I was anything but!”

“To the crew,” Tuvok clasped his hands together. “You are all of those things, but to yourself you are anything but.”

Kathryn groaned and pinched the bridge of her nose, “Tuvok, old friend, I am probably very tired and not thinking clearly here, so please, perhaps this isn’t the right time for this conversation?”

“If not now, when?” Tuvok raised an eyebrow.

Kathryn rolled her eyes and gestured for him to continue, might as well get every horror out of the way tonight.

“When was the last time you had any form of phy…”

“I beg you not to finish that sentence!” Kathryn exclaimed, mortified.

Tuvok stood up, “You have made choices to isolate yourself from the things that a human requires in order to function on every level. It does not need to be that way.”

“I am the Captain,” Kathryn answered sharply. “I do not have the luxuries that others on board may have.”

“Only by your own say and doing,” Tuvok noted.

“Tuvok, you know very well all the stipulations Starfleet have about this sort of thing…” Kathryn huffed in annoyance. She heaved a sigh, trying to find the words to continue.

“Indeed,” Tuvok nodded. “However, Starfleet has no rules for our situation. In many ways, we make the rules ourselves.”

“And that is what makes it dangerous,” Kathryn held up a hand.

“But, Starfleet or not, we don’t make the rules about humanity and existence,” Tuvok lifted an eyebrow. “Those are things that no distance or rule book can change.”

“So, what exactly are you trying to say, Tuvok?” Kathryn sighed. “And, let me be clear here, when you answer, remember that human or not, I am still the Captain and your commanding officer.”

Tuvok paused a moment and tilted his head, “Commander Chakotay was not in the mess hall this evening.”

Kathryn felt her face contort in confusion at the sudden turn of the conversation. “What?”

“Perhaps you should pay him a visit and ensure that he is alright?” Tuvok suggested.

“Tuvok, I don’t understand,” Kathryn groaned, rubbing at her forehead, the headache threatening to return with a vengeance. 

“I was merely suggesting…”

“Perhaps you should pay him a visit?” Kathryn almost snapped.

Tuvok lifted an eyebrow and nodded, “Perhaps, but I fear that it is not me who the Commander wishes to see this evening.”

“Tuvok, I’m not sure I like where this is going,” Kathryn warned.

“You and the Commander are close….” Tuvok commented.

“Enough!” Kathryn exclaimed. 

“And you are both humans trying to survive in a situation not truly suited to humans,” Tuvok explained. “It would not be unusual, or indeed unsuitable for you both to help each other with that human side that isn’t easily met out here.”

Kathryn gaped at her old friend, “Are you suggesting…..?” God, she couldn’t finish that sentence.

“I am,” Tuvok answered simply. “I believe it is something you have both wanted for a while and after today, I feel it prudent that you both act upon that desire.”

Kathryn’s hands clutched at her neck, squeezing tightly, her hands noticing the burning of her cheeks as they brushed past them.

“I bid you goodnight, Kathryn,” he offered, before turning on his heel and departing her quarters.

She stood staring after him for several minutes, unable to take in what had just happened, partnered with the events of the day and the unusual message, she was beginning to think she’d slipped into some parallel universe or someone else was playing games with her.

She huffed angrily, “Q!” she bellowed out, tapping her foot indignantly, waiting for the infuriating omnipotent creature to appear. “Show yourself if this is your doing!”

Nothing.

She twirled about on the spot, looking for any signs that this was all a dream or nightmare.

Nothing.

She pinched her arm and felt the pain.

“Fuck,” she swore softly and heaved a deep sigh. She was sure she’d have to spend the next 60 years just trying to process the shit out of what had happened on this one day.

She set about pacing again, her mind whirring with everything. Tuvok’s words, the woman on the video message, the failed slipstream drive, last night…..

She closed her eyes and there in her mind’s eye was Chakotay, sitting across from her, smiling at her, his dimples on full display, the image shifted and he had her half pinned against the back of the sofa, his warm, insistent mouth on hers as they shared their unspoken promise of what would happen the next day once they were home. 

Tuvok’s words brought her back into the room, humans need physical contact.

It was true, how many times had she longed for something as simple as a hug? For someone to just hold her close and stroke her hair? How many nights had she wished she wasn’t alone? How many times had she fantasised about sex? 

It hit her like a freighter ship that in each of those yearnings, it had always been Chakotay she had imagined. Chakotay pulling her into a hug, stroking her hair, curling up behind her in bed…making love to her.

She blushed furiously despite the emptiness of her room.

The young woman’s message from earlier began to replay itself in her mind. It became all too apparent to her that, yes, she had indeed been playing games with Chakotay, but only because it was him she wanted and had trained herself to believe she couldn’t have. She was in love with him and wanted nothing more than for him to fulfil every aspect of her life.

She spotted her pips discarded on the table.

But, she couldn’t have that, she was the Captain.

And then Tuvok’s words came floating back.

Out here they were on their own, out here they made the decisions whether they liked it or not.

It was all irrelevant, she gave a shake of her head. Only she could make that final decision. Only she could cross that final barrier and accept what her heart truly wanted.

But could she do it?

She spun around, she needed a drink. Marching briskly towards the little cupboard set below the replicator, she pulled out a bottle of whisky and pulling the stopper out with her teeth, she reached for a tumbler and poured a large…hell, _enormous_ shot and downed it in one.

The burn of the liquid hitting the back of her throat made her hiss and she swallowed hard as the burn spread down her throat and into her stomach, warming as it went.

She poured another, more moderate shot, and repeated the action, her mind clearing as the burn seemed to drag away the jumbled thoughts that had plagued her since she’d returned to her quarters.

She glanced around her empty room and pursed her lips, calculating what to do next. Remain here alone as the Captain or blow her and her damned parameters out the nearest airlock and follow not only her heart, but seemingly the advice of her oldest friend.

“Fuck it,” she muttered. “The day’s already screwed more than it ever should be.”

She set down her glass and caught her reflection in the shiny surface of the replicator. 

“I’ve already made more mistakes than I can count, what’s one more?” she mumbled. The replicator lights blinked once at her. 

“What do you think?” she asked the replicator, smirking to herself. Asking the replicator? She either needed to see the Doctor or…..

“_Affirmative_,” the computer’s voice acknowledged, seemingly picking up her question as a direct ask of the ship’s system.

Kathryn huffed a laugh and rolled her eyes skyward. The young woman’s voice filtered back into her mind.

“Don’t waste this, Kathryn.”

How many more wasted opportunities did there need to be before something finally cracked one way or the other?

She thought carefully for a few more moments before pulling her shoulders back and lifting her chin.

With that one look of defiance at herself, at the Captain, she turned and marched from her quarters.

The corridors were semi-lit, night-time mode in full action onboard _Voyager_, and thankfully empty of any personnel. She walked the few paces along the corridor and stopped outside the door. With a final rallying breath, she pressed the chime.

It seemed a lifetime passed before the doors swished open to reveal Chakotay, dressed in sweatpants and t-shirt, his hair slightly damp as if he’d just had a shower.

“Captain?” he asked with a frown.

“Not Captain,” Kathryn shook her head. “Only Kathryn’s here tonight. May I come in?”

Chakotay’s face twisted slightly in confusion, though she spotted something in his eyes that looked like hope, it made her heart soar. He stepped back to let her in, watching her carefully, his confusion sliding into bemusement.

“Kathryn? What’s wrong?” he asked.

She glanced around the room before turning to face him. She stared hard, her heart pounding.

“Computer, engage privacy lock,” she announced, watching as Chakotay’s expression became even more painfully cute with confusion.

“_Privacy lock engaged_,” the computer announced.

“Kathryn….I,” Chakotay began.

“I don’t intend to leave here before morning and I’d rather we were not disturbed,” she answered, her tone low and gravelly. 

“I’m not sure I follow?” Chakotay offered carefully, though his eyes betrayed the growing hope he was clearly feeling.

“I’m re-defining parameters,” she said, offering a tilt of her head and softly shy smile. “I meant it when I said we’ve waited too long. Are you with me?”

It took less than a second for Chakotay to fully grasp what she was asking and saying. He beamed and closed the gap between them and pulled her into his arms.

“Always,” he murmured as his mouth descended onto hers.

** End **


End file.
